‘Un Ballo in Maschera,’ at the Metropolitan Opera - The New York Times The New York Times Music |Icarus Haunts a Verdi Work Cloaked in Noir Search Icarus Haunts a Verdi Work Cloaked in Noir ‘Un Ballo in Maschera,’ at the Metropolitan Opera Continue reading the main story Photo Un Ballo in Maschera A winged (and goateed) Kathleen Kim, left, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, in the Verdi work at the Metropolitan Opera. Credit Sara Krulwich/The New York Times The usual reason for a director to update the setting of a serious opera is to bring out the grim, contemporary darkness of the story. The most interesting aspect of David Alden ’s disappointing, metaphor-laden new production of Verdi’s “Ballo in Maschera,” at the Metropolitan Opera, which opened on Thursday night, is that he uses an early-20th-century setting and film noir imagery to emphasize not just the work’s darkness but also its strangeness. For Verdi “Un Ballo in Maschera” (“A Masked Ball”), which had its premiere in Rome in 1859, was a bold experiment in the mixing of styles.

Elements of the intensely emotional Italian opera idiom of the mid-19th century are juxtaposed with strands of lighter, wryly comic scenes common in French grand opera of the period. Verdi does not really reconcile these contrasting styles. Instead, more interestingly, he just allows them to coexist. Mr. Alden embraces these stylistic contrasts. He brings a slightly surreal quality to the opera’s lighter elements, epitomized by the character of Oscar, the irreverent court page. At the same time, he draws out the ambiguities and fickleness of the opera’s conflicted hero, Gustavo III, the king of Sweden, a willful and restless monarch bored with official duties, recklessly pursuing an affair with Amelia, the wife of his steadfast adviser and friend. Aided by the lithe, crisp conducting of Fabio Luisi , Mr. Alden makes the shifts seem deliberate choices of the supremely confident dramatist Verdi. This production is best when subtle and character-driven, and Mr. Alden draws compelling performances from a strong cast, headed by the tenor Marcelo Álvarez, as Gustavo, and the soprano Sondra Radvanovsky , as Amelia.

But the overall mood and look of the production are obvious and glib, despite the sleek, abstract imagery of Paul Steinberg’s sets and the handsome suits and dresses by the costume designer Brigitte Reiffenstuel, which suggest the color schemes of a black-and-white film. Advertisement Continue reading the main story As Verdi buffs know, he had particular trouble getting Antonio Somma’s libretto for “Un Ballo” through the censors, who determined what could appear on an opera stage in Italy. Like many productions of “Ballo” these days, this one restores the initial Swedish setting of the libretto, which is loosely based on the historical King Gustavo, who was assassinated at a masked ball in Stockholm. But with its film noir imagery, this “Ballo” could be in any early-20th-century locale. Continue reading the main story The sets use intersecting and angular flat panels, sometimes with gray-on-gray flowered images, sometimes starkly white. For the final ballroom scene, in which the king is killed, the walls are lined with mirrors that send blinding shafts of light around the stage and into the house.

Photo Marcelo Álvarez and Sondra Radvanovsky in David Alden's new production of this Verdi work. Credit Sara Krulwich/The New York Times But the king’s rooms are dominated by a huge, classical-style mural showing the mythological Icarus falling from the sky, after trying to fly with wings made of feathers and wax, only to have them melt when he got too close to the sun. Ah, the king as Icarus. Get it? He is a self-absorbed monarch who invites disaster by shirking the needs of underlings and romancing the wife of his trusted adviser Renato (who in this setting is Count Anckarstrom). Icarus as a metaphor is heavy-handed enough. But a configuration of that mural looms over every scene, no matter where it takes place, and you get tired of looking at it. I wish Mr. Alden had stuck more closely to the film noir atmosphere, as he does effectively in the opening scene. During the prelude we see Gustavo dressed in a smoking jacket, looking discontented, sitting in a leather chair and sipping brandy, then dozing off.

This image captures the mood of the music and gets at the king’s character. The first lines sung by the courtiers (the Met choristers, sounding excellent, as usual) when they enter are to wish that the king be enlightened by beautiful dreams (though the conspirators among them mutter asides). Mr. Álvarez, who has long boasted a major tenor voice, can be a blunt and inelegant singer and an indifferent actor. But Mr. Alden and Mr. Luisi do well by him. Mr. Álvarez sings with subtlety, shadings and soaring lyricism. Now and then he lunged at high notes, and the bottom of his range was weak. But this was one of his most dramatically charged and refined performances at the Met. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy Karita Mattila, who was to have sung Amelia, withdrew in May. The assignment went to Ms. Radvanovsky, who was splendid. Her earthy texture and quick vibrato are not to all tastes. But her voice shimmers with emotion and carries excitingly over the orchestra.

She is a compelling vocal artist who knows what she is doing and brings intensity and deep feeling to every phrase. She was particularly moving in the scene in which her husband, here the charismatic baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky , having discovered her in a rendezvous with the king, tells her to prepare to die. Confronting his wife, Mr. Hvorostovsky shook Ms. Radvanovsky by the shoulders, as if really ready to strangle her. But the next moment he nestled his head next to her face and kissed her, almost pleadingly, singing with his trademark dark sound and supple phrasing, which poignantly brought to life this suffering husband’s love. The most overtly comic scenes, in the French manner, involve Oscar, the page, a pants role, played here by the bright-voiced coloratura soprano Kathleen Kim, wearing a bit of a goatee. During the sassy chorus that ends the first scene, Ms. Kim led the courtiers in a vaudeville routine, complete with shuffling dance steps. As choreographed by Maxine Braham, the routine was a little too cute.

Still, the silliness put an aptly weird spin on Verdi’s nod to the sardonic, French-styled humor. The scene with Ulrica, the fortuneteller, represents the Italianate Verdi at his most bleak and ominous, and this production has the powerhouse mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick in the role. This was Mr. Alden’s first time taking on an entire Met production. Just this summer I saw two of his productions elsewhere: a bold staging of Britten’s “Billy Budd” at the English National Opera in London, and a handsome, vivid presentation of a Rossini rarity, “Maometto II,” at the Santa Fe Opera. In comparison, his “Ballo” comes across as much less assured, too reliant on the obvious. Something about the Met, with all its history and influence, has a way of throwing even internationally acclaimed directors off their game.

Correction: November 14, 2012 A music review on Saturday about the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of “Un Ballo in Maschera” by Verdi, which includes as part of the set a large mural of the mythological Icarus falling from the sky, misidentified the maker of the wings Icarus used to fly. They were made by his father, Daedalus — not by Icarus. “Un Ballo in Maschera” runs through Dec. 14 at the Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center; (212) 362-6000, metopera.org. A version of this review appears in print on November 10, 2012, on Page C1 of the New York edition with the headline: Icarus Haunts A Verdi Work Cloaked in Noir.

Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe Un ballo in maschera - OperaWorld External links Composition history For a full account of the evolution of the opera which eventually became Un ballo in maschera, see Gustavo III (Verdi) 1857: From Gustavo III to Una vendetta in dominò A commission by the Teatro San Carlo in Naples in early 1857 led Verdi to begin to oversee the finalization of the libretto (also by Somma) for Re Lear with the aim of presenting the finished opera during the 1858 carnival season. When this proved to be impracticable, Verdi turned to the subject of King Gustav III's assassination as portrayed in Scribe and Auber's opera, albeit not an historically accurate narrative. That subject was well known and had been used by other composers, including Saverio Mercadante for his Il reggente in 1843.

Verdi and the Naples censor when preparing "Ballo", 1857–58, caricature by Delfico For the libretto, Scribe retained the names of some of the historical figures involved (including fortune teller Ulrica Arfvidsson , the conspiracy, and the killing at the masked ball, but, as noted by Budden, "it was a simple case of 'cherchez la femme'": for the rest of the play Scribe invented the romance between the King and the fictional Amélie [3] the wife of the king's secretary and best friend, and adds characters and situations such as Oscar, the page boy. [4] Somma's new libretto, known as Gustavo III, was presented to the censors in Naples by late 1857. By November, Verdi informed Somma that objections had been raised and revisions demanded by the censors, the most significant of which was the refusal to allow the depiction of a monarch on the stage - and especially the monarch's murder.

[5] As had happened with Rigoletto , changes in characters' names and titles were proposed (the King of Sweden became the Duke of Pomerania; Anckarström became Count Renato) and the location was moved from Stockholm to Stettin . Working together with Somma over Christmas, Verdi accommodated these changes. Somma was asked to change the names of the characters on the Gustave libretto while Verdi worked on completing sketches of the music. The name of the opera became Una vendetta in dominò. By 9 January 1858, prior to setting out for Naples, Verdi wrote from his home the San Carlo that "the opera is done and even here I am working on the full score". [5] The composer then travelled to Naples and rehearsals of Una vendetta were about to begin when, on 14 January 1858, three Italians attempted to assassinate Emperor Napoleon III in Paris, an event which was to affect the opera's production. 1858: The censor blocks Una vendetta The imposition of still further, more stringent requirements by the censor [6] incurred Verdi's wrath.

He broke his contract, returned to Sant'Agata in April, and was sued by the management of the San Carlo house. This provoked him to lodge a counter-claim against the theatre for damages and, eventually, the legal fight ended. It was during this period of turmoil that Verdi was to describe the previous sixteen years of his composing life: in a letter to Countess Clara Maffei, he states: "From Nabucco , you may say, I have never had one hour of peace. Sixteen years in the galleys!" [7] [8] 1859: Una Vendetta becomes Un ballo in maschera When the legal issues were resolved within a few months, Verdi was free to present the libretto and musical outline of Gustave III (which was basically Una vendetta with characters' names and locations changed) [9] to the Rome Opera . There, the censors demanded further changes. Removing the action from Europe, the location became Boston during the British colonial period and the leading character became Riccardo, the Count (or Earl) of Warwick. At this point, the opera became Un ballo in maschera set in North America.

Performance history Notable productions Un ballo in maschera received its premiere performance at the Teatro Apollo in Rome on 17 February 1859 and was immediately successful. The opera was first seen in New York its US premiere on 11 February 1861 and in the UK on 15 June of that year. In the 20th century, especially after a 1935 production in Copenhagen , many modern stagings have restored the original Swedish setting and characters' names. [10] On 7 January 1955, [11] Marian Anderson , singing the role of Ulrica, broke the "color barrier" at the Metropolitan Opera , becoming the first African-American vocal soloist to appear with that company. [12] A "hypothetical reconstruction" of Gustavo III , [13] based on the unorchestrated original and much of Una vendetta "grafted" [13] onto Un ballo's score, occurred in a production by the Gothenburg Opera in Gothenburg , Sweden in 2002. [14] The opera has become a staple of the repertoire and is now performed frequently.

[15] Roles Time: March 1792 in Sweden or the end of the 17th century in Boston [17] Act 1 Scene 1: A public audience at Riccardo's palace, attended by his supporters, but also by his enemies who hope for his downfall Riccardo (Gustavo) reviews the list of guests who will attend an upcoming masked ball. He is elated to see the name of the woman he loves on the list – Amelia, the wife of his friend and advisor, Renato (Count Anckarström). (Aria: La rivedrà nell'estasi / "It will review the ecstasy"). When Renato arrives, he tries to warn Riccardo about the growing conspiracy against him (aria: Alla vita che t'arride / "The life that arrives"), but Riccardo refuses to listen to his words. Next, Riccardo is presented with a complaint against a fortune-teller named Ulrica (Madame Arvidson), accused of witchcraft. A magistrate calls for her banishment, but Oscar the page defends her (Aria: Volta la terrea / "Around her bungalow").

Riccardo resolves to investigate for himself and tells the members of the court to disguise themselves and to meet him at Ulrica's lodging later that day. Scene 2: At Ulrica's dwelling Ulrica summons her magical powers: Re dell'abisso, affrettati / "King of the abyss, make haste". Disguised as a fisherman, Riccardo arrives before the others. He makes the fortune of a sailor named Silvano come true by spiriting a document of promotion into his pouch, convincing the crowd of the truth of Ulrica's powers. When he realizes that Amelia is coming to see Ulrica, he hides and watches. Alone with Ulrica, Amelia confesses that she is tormented by her love for Riccardo, and asks for a means to bring peace to her heart. Ulrica tells her to gather a certain herb with magical powers; Riccardo resolves to be there when she does so. Amelia leaves. Now Riccardo presents himself again, along with all of the courtiers, and asks to have his fortune told. (Aria: Di' tu se fedele / "Of thou faithful"). Ulrica reveals that he will be killed by the next man who shakes his hand.

He laughingly dismisses her prophecy and offers his hand to the courtiers, who refuse to take it. Renato arrives and shakes Riccardo's hand in greeting. Riccardo's true identity is now revealed and he is acclaimed by the people. Act 2 On the outskirts of the town, at the gallows-place. Midnight Amelia, conquering her fears, has come here alone to pick the herb of which Ulrica told her (Aria: Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa / "But scratched out of the stalk divine"). She is surprised by Riccardo, who has come to meet her, and the two finally declare their love for each other. Unexpectedly, Renato arrives, and Amelia covers her face with her veil before he can recognize her. Renato explains to Riccardo that the conspirators are pursuing him, and his life is in danger. Riccardo leaves, making Renato promise to escort the veiled woman safely back to town, not asking her identity. When the conspirators arrive, they confront Renato; in the struggle, Amelia's veil drops. Renato assumes that Amelia and Riccardo have been involved in an adulterous love affair.

He asks the two leaders of the conspiracy, Samuel and Tom, to meet him the next day. Act 3 Scene 1: Renato's house Death of Gustavo, act 3, sc. 2, by August Pollak Renato has resolved to kill Amelia for the dishonor she has brought on him. She protests her innocence and begs to see her son one last time. (Aria: Morrò, ma prima in grazia / "I die, but first in grace"). Renato relents, and declares that it is Riccardo, not Amelia, who deserves to die (Aria: Eri tu che macchiavi quell'anima / "It was you who stained the soul"). Samuel (Count Ribbing) and Tom (Count Horn) arrive, and Renato asks to join their plot, pledging the life of his son as proof of his sincerity. They agree to draw lots to decide who will kill Riccardo. Amelia is forced to draw the winning name – Renato. Oscar, the page, arrives with invitations to the masked ball; Samuel, Tom and Renato agree that this is where the assassination will take place.

Scene 2: The ball Riccardo, torn between love and duty, has resolved to renounce his love for Amelia and send her and Renato back to England (Aria: Ma se m'è forza perderti / "But if I am forced to miss"). At the ball, Renato tries to learn from Oscar what costume Riccardo is wearing. Oscar at first refuses to tell (Aria: Saper vorreste / "Knowing how you would like"), but he finally answers: a black cloak and a red ribbon. Riccardo manages to identify Amelia and tells her of the decision he has made. As they say goodbye, Renato stabs Riccardo. The wounded Riccardo discloses that though he loved Amelia, she never broke her marriage vows. He pardons all the conspirators, bidding farewell to his friends and his country as he dies.

Instrumentation The opera is scored for flute, piccolo, two oboes, cor anglais, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, cimbasso, timpani, cymbals, bass drum, harp and strings, together with offstage wind band, offstage bell and small onstage string orchestra (four to six first violins, two second violins, two violas, two cellos and two double basses). Cultural references A rehearsal of Act 3 Scene 2, including the stabbing of Riccardo, is featured in the closing scene of Bernardo Bertolucci's 1979 film La Luna . It also confused Leslie Titmuss in John Mortimer 's novel "Titmus Regained"; when a friend said that she was going to see "Un Ballo in Maschera" at Covent Garden, he replied "never been one for dancing". Recordings References Notes ^ Baldini, p. 248: Roger Parker, as editor and translator of The Story of Giuseppe Verdi challenges Baldini's statement that Gustave was a play, and he asserts that it was only an opera libretto written for Auber's opera.

^ Budden, p. 363. Verdi to Torelli: "I'm scaling down a French drama, Gustavo III di Svezia, libretto by Scribe, performed at the Opéra twenty years ago" ^ Patrick Dillon, "Unlucky Lady: Who is Amelia?", Opera News, December 2012, Vol. 77, #6, p. 20: Dillon notes that "it doesn't matter that there was, historically, no "real" Amelia" and further that, for Scribe, "convention demanded a leading lady" therefore "Amélie, comtesse d'Ankastrom" in Auber's opera. ^ Budden, p. 364 ^ List of singers taken from Budden, p. 360 ^ Melitz, adaptation of the synopsis from 1921 Cited sources Baldini, Gabriele (1970), (trans. Roger Parker, 1980), The Story of Giuseppe Verdi: Oberto to Un Ballo in Maschera. Cambridge, et al.: Cambridge University Press.

ISBN 0-521-29712-5 Budden, Julian (1984), The Operas of Verdi, Volume 2: From Il Trovatore to La Forza del Destino. London: Cassell. ISBN 978-0-19-520068-3 (hardcover) ISBN 978-0-19-520450-6 (paperback). Gossett, Philip (2006), Divas and Scholar: Performing Italian Opera, Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-30482-5 Kimbell, David (2001), in Holden, Amanda (Ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. ISBN 0-14-029312-4 Melitz, Leo (1921), The Opera Goer's Complete Guide. Osborne, Charles (1994), The Complete Operas of Verdi, New York, Da Capo Press, ISBN 0-306-80072-1 .

Werfel, Franz and Stefan, Paul (1973), Verdi: The Man and His Letters, New York, Vienna House. ISBN 0-8443-0088-8 Other sources Chusid, Martin, (Ed.) (1997), Verdi's Middle Period, 1849 to 1859, Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-10658-6 ISBN 0-226-10659-4 De Van, Gilles (trans. Gilda Roberts) (1998), Verdi's Theater: Creating Drama Through Music. Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-14369-4 (hardback), ISBN 0-226-14370-8 Martin, George, Verdi: His Music, Life and Times (1983), New York: Dodd, Mead and Company.

ISBN 0-396-08196-7 Pistone, Danièle (1995), Nineteenth-Century Italian Opera: From Rossini to Puccini, Portland, OR: Amadeus Press. ISBN 0-931340-82-9 Toye, Francis (1931), Giuseppe Verdi: His Life and Works, New York: Knopf Walker, Frank, The Man Verdi (1982), New York: Knopf, 1962, Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-87132-0 Warrack, John and West, Ewan, The Oxford Dictionary of Opera New York: OUP: 1992 ISBN 0-19-869164-5 External links Un Ballo in Maschera at the Metropolitan Opera ~ About Un Ballo in Maschera Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball) is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with an Italian libretto by Antonio Somma.

Somma’s text is based on Eugène Scribe’s libretto for Daniel Auber’s 1833 opera Gustave III, ou Le val masqúe. The opera tells the story of the 1792 assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden. He was shot at a masked ball and died two weeks later. Un Ballo in Maschera premiered at the Teatro Apollo in Rome in 1859. ~ Un Ballo in Maschera Characters Gustavo III is the king of Sweden. He has a crush on Amelia. Amelia is the wife of Count Anckarström who is secretly in love with the King. Oscar is the King’s page, an apprentice knight. Madame Arvidsson is a fortune teller. Anckarström is the King’s secretary and friend. ~ Un Ballo in Maschera Synopsis Coming Soon.

The Metropolitan Opera’s Un Ballo in Maschera Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Eri tu in the 2012 production The Metropolitan Opera performs Un Ballo in Maschera five times in the 2014-15 season between April 23 and May 9, 2015. Thursday, April 23, 2015 at 7:30pm Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 7:30pm Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 1pm Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at 7:30pm with Markov Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 8pm ~ the conductor is to be announced The photo is by Ken Howard, courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera. ~ Un Ballo in Maschera Cast Metropolitan Opera Music Director James Levine (American) conducts. Levine made his Met debut in 1971’s Tosca. American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky is Amelia. She made her Met debut in 1996 as Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto.

American soprano Heidi Stober (Waukisha, Wisconsin) is Oscar. She made her Met debut in 2011 as Gretel in Hansel and Gretel. American mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick (Salem, Oregon) is Madame Arvidsson. She made her Met debut in 1988 as Azucena in Il Trovatore. Polish tenor Piotr Beczala (Czechowice-Dziedzice, Poland) is King Gustavo III. He made his Met debut in 2006 as The Duke in Rigoletto. Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky (Krasnoyarsk, Russia) is Anckarström. He made his Met debut in 1995 as Yeletsky in The Queen of Spades. ~ Un Ballo in Maschera Production This is a revival of David Alden’s noir-inspired production. Paul Steinberg designed the sets. Brigette Reiffenstuel designed the costumes. Adam Silverman designed the lighting. Maxine Braham did the choreography. ~ Un Ballo in Maschera Reviews Coming Soon.

Vienna State Opera - Un Ballo in Maschera Vienna State Opera STATE OPERA: UN BALLO IN MASCHERA | GIUSEPPE VERDI Conductor: Jesús López Cobos | Production: Gianfranco de Bosio Artists: Gustaf III., König von Schweden - Piotr Beczala | Graf René Ankarström - George Petean | Amelia, seine Gattin - Kristin Lewis Special price starts at 79.00 € STATE OPERA: UN BALLO IN MASCHERA | GIUSEPPE VERDI Conductor: Jesús López Cobos | Production: Gianfranco de Bosio Artists: Gustaf III., König von Schweden - Piotr Beczala | Graf René Ankarström - George Petean | Amelia, seine Gattin - Kristin Lewis Special price starts at 79.00 € STATE OPERA: UN BALLO IN MASCHERA | GIUSEPPE VERDI Conductor: Jesús López Cobos | Production: Gianfranco de Bosio Artists: Gustaf III., König von Schweden - Piotr Beczala | Graf René Ankarström - George Petean | Amelia, seine Gattin -

 Kristin Lewis Special price starts at 79.00 € STATE OPERA: UN BALLO IN MASCHERA | GIUSEPPE VERDI Conductor: Jesús López Cobos | Production: Gianfranco de Bosio Artists: Gustaf III., König von Schweden - Piotr Beczala | Graf René Ankarström - George Petean | Amelia, seine Gattin - Kristin Lewis Special price starts at 79.00 € Description Un Ballo in Maschera - Giuseppe Verdi Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball) is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma.

However, Somma's libretto was itself based on the five act libretto which playwright Eugène Scribe had written for Daniel Auber's 1833 opera, Gustave III, ou Le bal masqué. Scribe wrote about the assassination in 1792 of King Gustav III of Sweden who was killed as the result of a political conspiracy against him. He was shot while attending a masked ballroom dance and died 13 days later of his wounds. It was to take over two years between the time of the commission from Naples and planned for a production there and its premiere performance at the Teatro Apollo in Rome on 17 February 1859. In order to become the Un ballo in maschera which we know today, Verdi's opera (and his libretto) was forced to undergo a significant series of transformations and title changes. Based on the Scribe libretto and begun as Gustavo III set in Sweden, it became Una vendetta in dominò set in Germany, and finally Un ballo, set not in Sweden but in Boston, Massachusetts during the colonial era.

These changes were caused by a combination of censorship regulations in both Naples and Rome, as well as by the political situation in France in January 1858. It became one of the most frustrating experiences of Verdi's career. From the mid-20th century, it has become more common for the setting to revert to its original 18th-century Stockholm location. A re-creation of the original Gustavo III has been staged in Sweden. Classical Concerts We offer tickets for a series of a very well chosen classical Concerts in Vienna. Rely in our long experience in the Ticket Market. Among others in our shop one can find also great Dinner and Concert packages, which allows you to enjoy the traditional food and classical evening programs in Authentically Concert Halls where great names of Classical Music performed. Special Events Welcome to the Evangelists of special events in Vienna. We select and offer you the best Performances that transmit the viennese spirit in an astonishing way.

We offer Tickets for the most known Concert Worldwide the Vienna Philharmony New Year´s Concert at Musikverein in Vienna, Spanish Riding School Performances at the Hofburg Palace, Vienna Opera Ball at the Vienna State Opera, Silvestergala at Rathaus and Salzburg Festival Events. Opera Tickets We offer tickets for almost all Opera and Ballet Performances at Vienna State Opera. Among others our offer contains Events of Vienna Volksoper, a venue number one in Vienna for Musicals, Operettas and Ballet Performances with very acceptable prices. Do not hesitate to rely in our 15 years of experience in this Market. Un ballo in maschera — Productions — Royal Opera House Katharina Thoma directs a new production of Verdi's tragic opera of illicit love, loyalty and betrayal. Most recent performance There are currently no scheduled performances of Un ballo in maschera. It was last on stage 18 December 2014—17 January 2015 as part of the Winter 2014/15 season. The Story Riccardo is a leader loved by his people but surrounded by conspirators.

He also nurses a secret shame: he adores Amelia, the wife of his closest friend and loyal minister, Renato. Read more… (Contains spoilers) Background Giuseppe Verdi set aside his project of adapting King Lear – never to be completed – to create the opera that would eventually become Un ballo in maschera. He selected a pre-existing libretto by Eugène Scribe (originally created for French composer Daniel Auber) on the story of the reformist Swedish king Gustav III, who was assassinated at a masked ball in 1792. The subject was not at all to the taste of the notoriously prickly censors in Naples, who in addition to wanting the setting and period changed demanded that the murder take place offstage. Verdi angrily refused, and sought another theatre to stage the work. The considerably more liberal Teatro Apollo in Rome still insisted a fictional setting be used; Verdi had little choice but to relent, and transformed King Gustav into Riccardo, governor of Boston. The opera was first performed on 17 February 1859 and was an immediate success.

Verdi's music for Un ballo in maschera is some of his most sophisticated and subtle, marrying the opulence of French grand opera (a style he had refined in Les Vêpres siciliennes and Don Carlos) with innovative developments in Italian opera. German director Katharina Thoma (Ariadne auf Naxos, Glyndebourne) makes her Royal Opera debut with this new production. News and features Un ballo in maschera, Opera by G. Verdi - Rome Opera Tickets - Opera - All Performances Event Dates Un ballo in maschera, Opera by G. Verdi A first encounter with Giuseppe Verdi’s masked ball and one might be forgiven for thinking that the nineteenth century’s pre-eminent composer of Italian opera had stumbled upon a farce looking back to commedia dell’arte. Nothing could be further from the truth. The title of Verdi’s opera, Un ballo in maschera, and the comic moments it contains, disguise a work that is full of political intrigue and high drama. Premiered at Rome’s Teatro Apollo on 17 February 1859, Un ballo in maschera was originally intended for the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.

Based on the assassination of Gustav III of Sweden in 1792, the Neapolitan censors simply could not accept a libretto that promised the murder of a European monarch on stage. Verdi tried his luck with the authorities in the Vatican, but they were just as unrelenting, hence his decision to move the action to the United States and the jurisdiction of an imaginary governor of Boston called Riccardo. Riccardo makes an enemy of his main political ally, Renato, by falling in love with his wife, Amelia. Renato uncovers a plot to overthrow Riccardo, but when he suspects his wife of being unfaithful to him, he joins the conspirators instead. A masked ball provides the perfect cover for Renato to take his revenge. Verdi may have been forced to make substantial changes to the opera, but none of these were to the detriment of the music, the composer continuing his gentle revolution in operatic form. Following on from Les vêpres siciliennes (1855) and Simon Boccanegra (1857), Un ballo in maschera saw Verdi’s increasing interest in merging the scale of French Grand Opera with the intensity of Italian opera seria.

The result is a work of great theatrical power that clearly shows Verdi secure in his status as a composer, deciding which conventions he would keep and which he could discard. With Un ballo in maschera, Verdi achieves a wonderful contrapuntal balance between orchestra and singers that drives the drama forward in a way that would have been unthinkable for composers in the first half of the 1800s. Now the Teatro Costanzi, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma offers its audiences the opportunity to experience one of the most accomplished works in the Verdian repertoire. Un ballo in maschera Synopsis - The Story of Verdi's Opera Un ballo in maschera Un ballo in maschera Synopsis Un ballo in maschera Synopsis The Story of Verdi's 3 Act Opera Premiered: February 17, 1859 Setting of Un ballo in maschera: Verdi's Un ballo in maschera takes place in Sweden in 1792, but due to the opera's controversies and censorship, it is often set in 17th century Boston, Massachusetts.

Other Popular Opera Synopses: The Story of Un ballo in maschera Un ballo in maschera, ACT 1 * Original character names are shown in parentheses. Inside his palace, Riccardo (King Gustav III) reviews the list of attendees for his upcoming masquerade. As he pours over his list, he is delighted to see the name of the woman he loves, Amelia (Amelia). However, she is the wife of his most trusted advisor, Renato (Anckarström). Riccardo sets the list down when Renato enters the room. Renato warns Riccardo that there is a group of people conspiring against him. Riccardo gives no heed to the Renato's warnings. continue reading below our video Top 5 Grossing Movies of All Time Moments later, the young page Oscar enters bringing news that Ulrica, a fortune-teller, has been accused of witchcraft. Oscar defends her, but others call for her banishment. Riccardo takes matters into his own hands, and along with the court, sets out for Ulrica's house in disguise to make his own judgement.

Outside of the Ulrica's cottage, Riccardo, disguised as a fisherman, eavesdrops. Ulrica summons her magic and tells a fortune to a sailor named Silvano (Cristiano). She tells Silvano that he will soon become wealthy due to a promotion. As Silvano exits, Riccardo stealthily puts a note of promotion and some gold in Silvano's pocket. When Silvano discovers his fortune, he rejoices and the townsfolk become more convinced of Ulrica's abilities. Then, Amelia enters the cottage. Not to be seen, Riccardo quickly hides. Amelia confesses to Ulrica that she is tormented by her secret love of Riccardo. Asking for peace, Ulrica tells Amelia to venture outdoors at night to find a magic herb that grows by the gallows. Riccardo decides to meet Amelia there later that evening. After Amelia leaves, Riccardo takes a moment to get his fortune told. Along with Oscar and the rest of his court, Riccardo speaks to Ulrica. She tells him that he will die at the hand of his own friend. He laughs off the prophesy before asking her who his killer will be.

She replies that the next person to shake his hand will be his killer. Riccardo goes around the room and mockingly tries to shake the hands of his friends, but everyone refuses to shake his hand. Unexpectedly, Renato enters and greets Riccardo with a handshake. Riccardo happily boasts that Ulrica is wrong because Renato is his most loyal friend. At that moment, Riccardo's true identity becomes known and the townspeople marvel and exalt him. Un ballo in maschera, ACT 2 Amelia desperately searches for the magical herb as she prays for her love of Riccardo to be vanquished. Soon, Riccardo arrives. Unable to control their love, they embrace and share a passionate kiss. Suddenly, Renato arrives, interrupting them. Before she is recognized, Amelia covers her face with her veil. Renato tells Riccardo that the conspirators are out to kill him. Riccardo commands Renato to escort the lady to safety, but he mustn't remove her veil. After Renato promises to follow his orders, they depart and Riccardo disappears into the darkness. Before Renato and Amelia reach town, they are confronted by the conspirators.

In their struggle, Amelia realizes that her husband will fight the rebels to death before he disobeys his king's command. Hoping to save his life, Amelia deliberately loosens her veil and lets it fall to the ground. At that moment, the rebels stop fighting and begin mocking Renato for his wife's infidelity. Full of rage, Renato asks the conspirators' two leaders, Samuel and Tom (Count Ribbing and Count Horn) for a meeting the next morning. Samuel and Tom agree to meet with Renato. Un ballo in maschera, ACT 3 In Amelia and Renato's home, Renato and Amelia argue. He threatens to kill her for the shame she has brought upon him. She pleads her innocence, but finally concedes. She asks to see her son one last time before she dies, and runs out of the room. Renato realizes it is Riccardo he must kill instead. When Samuel and Tom arrive, Renato asks to join their conspiracy. They allow him into their group. He tells them that he plans to kill the king. To decide who will commit the murder, they draw names from a container. Amelia returns and Renato has her draw the name.

When she picks Renato's name, he couldn't be more joyful. Their meeting is interrupted briefly when Oscar brings an invitation to the masquerade. After he departs, the men begin to plot their mission to kill the king during the ball. In his room before the masquerade, Riccardo contemplates his actions as king and decides between love or his royal duties. He finally decides to give up love and send Amelia and Renato away. Oscar arrives with a note, secretly written by Amelia, warning the king of his death. Again, Riccardo gives no credence to the threat and heads down to the ballroom. In the ballroom, Renato asks Oscar what Riccardo will be wearing. After refusing multiple times, he finally confesses what the king will look like and Renato hastily departs. Riccardo searches the room and spots Amelia. As he tells her of his decision, he is stabbed from behind by Riccardo. As the king draws his last breaths, he tells Renato that though he did love Amelia, she never broke her marriage vows. He forgives Renato and the rest of the conspirators before dying; the townspeople praise him once more.

HNK – A Masked Ball (Un ballo in maschera) A Masked Ball (Un ballo in maschera) Premiere: January 27, 2007 A Masked Ball is the most popular opera from Verdi’s so-called transitional period. Its popularity is the result of the unique melodies and sparkling arias of all protagonists, with orchestral embellishments and a dramatic charge which rises uninterrupted to the very finale. That this would happen was clear at the world premiere in Rome in 1859, when Verdi triumphantly stepped in front of the curtain thirty times to thank the enraptured audience. As one of the most beautiful operas by Giuseppe Verdi, this work was composed in the chiaroscuro technique (to use the vocabulary of painting), which is unmistakably evident in the very prelude: the dark theme in the bassos part accompanying the conspirators throughout the opera, is opposed to the solemn harmony of the sovereign and the lyrical love theme.

The ambivalent sound of the opera is enhanced by the mixing of Verdi’s melodiousness with the French melodramatic style, particularly evident in the music written for the role of the page Oscar, whose arias have the form of the French couplet. After the very progressively conceived Macbeth or Simon Boccanegra, A Masked Ball represents Verdi’s formal return to the strictly separated arias, duets, ensembles and choirs. The climax of this opera is the central love duet which makes the absolute foothold of the score. Libretto Antonio Somma based upon the libretto Gustave III ou Le bal masqué by Eugène Scribe

Question: Whose opera Un ballo in maschera premiered in 1859?
Answer: GIUSEPPE VERDI